Brother Ali spoke to our MSP chapter about Black History Month, Malcolm X, his Muslim faith and sharing our world together as one people.

About the speaker

Brother Ali is a highly respected Hip Hop artist, speaker and activist from
Minneapolis, MN. His decade long resume includes six critically acclaimed
albums, mentorships with Iconic Hip Hop legends Chuck D and Rakim and
performances on late night talk shows with Conan O Brien and Jimmy Fallon.
He’s been the subject of Al-Jazeera and NPR pieces and was a keynote speaker
at this year’s Nobel Peace Prize Forum. He’s landed coveted press features such
as Rolling Stone’s 40th anniversary “Artist to Watch” and Source Magazine’s “Hip
Hop Quotables”.

Ali has won the hearts and minds of Hip Hop fans world wide with his intimate
song writing, captivating live performances and outspoken stance on issues
of Justice and Human Dignity. In 2007, Ali was flagged by The US Department
of Homeland Security for his controversial critique of America’s human rights
violations in his song/video “Uncle Sam Goddamn”. In the summer of 2012, Ali was
arrested in an act of civil disobedience as an organizer of Minnesota’s Occupy
Homes movement to defend Twin Cities homeowners from unjust foreclosures.
Brother Ali’s latest album, Mourning in America and Dreaming in Color is his
manifesto on the political, socioeconomic and cultural suffering in modern
American life, as well as a declaration of hope and possibility for a brighter future.
The album is introduced by Dr. Cornel West.

Dr. West had this to say about Ali and his work. “Brother Ali is fundamentally
committed to truth and justice. He’s part of a great tradition in this country
and around the world that highlights the wretched of the earth, allows them to
undergo an awakening and shatters their sleepwalking. I want the world to know
that Ali is my brother and I have so much great love and respect for him. We’re
part of the same tradition concerned with Truth and Justice. He does it in his own
smooth, sophisticated way. Sometimes he’s funky and sometimes he’s direct,
but I love the way he tells the truth. The album itself (Mourning in America and
Dreaming in Color) is such a force for good and a food source for people’s souls.
People can feel the love on the vanilla side of town and on the chocolate side of
town. It’s a human thing. A love thing.”

Brother Ali is currently working on his first literary offering, tackling the topics that
are discussed in his speaking engagements and workshops.